Hope
by Girls In White Dresses
Summary: Just when she thought she had lost it, she found it.
1. Chapter 1

**This is my first ever fanfiction :O Read and Review, please!**

**I do not own Bleach. REPEAT. DO. NOT. OWN.**

There is no hope now, none. She knows this, yet a part of her wishes her life could have been something more. Dust blows around her, covering her, the hard ground biting, rough and uneven like the jagged fissures on a rock. She keeps walking—it's futile. _Where are you going?_ A voice whispers in Hisana's mind. In her arms, Rukia shivers.

She takes off her worn cloak, wearing nothing but her pale yukata now. Everything she owns is worn out, and the cloak is a pitiful thing, old and faded to an almost grey. Worth nothing. A mere shadow of what once was beautiful. _Just like you. _

She wraps the cloth around Rukia. Again, it's not much, but will keep her from freezing. It's getting colder as the day drags on. _What about you? You'll freeze, but it doesn't matter as long as Ruk_ia is warm. Hisana sighs, and wraps her arms around her, pulling Rukia closer. Hunger gnaws at her. She thinks—always the same thought—but who will take care of Rukia if she's not there? In this place, people carry out their mundane lives, always wanting _more_, to laugh, to sing, to think about other things than just— survival.

In this place, Hisana often wonders what she did wrong.

A sharp rock juts out in her path, not seeing it, she trips…..Twisting frantically to protect Rukia. Falling in the dust. Struggling to breathe…..Rukia's fine. That's all that will ever matter. The men watching are blank faces, dull eyes. Survival. They're seeing if she's too weak to go on…..If it's safe to take her possessions. Even then, they'll be disappointed. She never had much to begin with. But Hisana stands up, just like she always does. Swaying from exhaustion, her back aching…..Her foot is bleeding…She continues on…to nowhere, she supposes. "Hi….sana?" Rukia's small voice trembles, cutting through her thoughts, harsh reality reappearing. "Hungryyy…" Hisana's heart sinks.

Suddenly, she spots a bright splash of colour on the dusty ground. Captivated, she runs toward it. It's a dirty, thin paper book, lying forlorn and out of place on the street. She kneels and slowly picks it up with her free hand and carefully wipes some of the grime off with her sleeve. _The Adventures of Chappy the Rabbit_ emblazoned cheerfully in eye watering shades. A white rabbit, poised to save the day, expression comical. For the first time in a long time, the corners of Hisana's mouth curve upwards ever so slightly.

"Look, Rukia. Look at the cute bunny."


	2. Chapter 2

**Thanks for all the reviews :D they make me so happy :D you guys are so nice, I should work on making the story flow better...**

**OK, I just realized you can't add more than one exclamation mark or question mark! SEE! LA! LA? YAY! :( grr...**

**It takes me forever to decide on one idea... this story is kind of getting longer then what I originally planned... The chapters are short, I know. Still don't own Bleach.**

**Now for some ACTION!**

She dreads the night. When night comes, it brings the darkness. Rukia had finally fallen asleep clutching the book in her tiny hands. Hisana lays her gently on the wooden floor of an old, one room, slightly damp, abandoned house. 4 thin blankets weren't nearly warm enough. She feels the tears come, but forces herself to wipe them away and focus on the task at hand. She closes the door as quietly as she can and creeps off into the setting sun.

A vendor selling water is closing for the day. Hisana can't do this. But she has to. She walks closer, trying to look casual and ignoring the unbearable sadness inside her. The vendor, a heavily built man, spots her. "Miss, I'm closing right now. I'll be back tomorrow, so run along." Hisana swallows, her palms damp with sweat. "I was wondering, is the water you sell clean? It doesn't look like it." She hopes her voice sounds convincing. "What? Of course it is! Don't tell me how to do my job, little girl. Unless you're going to buy something right now, I suggest you leave." She hates every single second of this. Trying to stay calm, she tucks a strand of her dark hair behind her ear. "I don't believe you. May I take a look?" Hisana's voice sounds very small. I'm terrible at this, she thinks. "No. I don't want your filthy hands—" He stops mid-sentence, mouth falling open in a perfect "o". He's staring at something in the distance. She whips around, her eyes following his, and fights the urge to scream.

A huge reptile like creature with wings, taller than the buildings, stares at Hisana with empty eyes full of murderous intent. A white mask covers its face and it has a large hole in the middle of its chest. She backs away, her heart seized with terror. The vendor had fled, leaving the water jugs. The creature roars, shattering the air. "Perfect. Delicious girl. I'll eat you, and then I'll find that fat man for dessert." It spoke in a chittering, bat-like voice. She trembles, wondering if her pointless life would soon be at an end. Rukia! She had no choice but to believe she was safe. Hisana takes a few shaky steps backwards, then turns and runs.

The creature flies up into the air, making a sound that sounds suspiciously like laughter. Dust obscures the air. There was nothing but the sound of screaming. Hisana's foot throbbed with pain, and she knew she couldn't run very much farther. Her knees buckled- and she fell, the momentum carrying her quite a distance before the dusty ground meets her body and squeezes the air out of it. The monster reaches for her with one ugly claw, and Hisana braces herself for the impact. It never comes.

Her breath came in ragged gasps and when she finally opened her eyes the creature was gone. A man wearing a black kimono stands in front of her, gleaming sword in hand. He turns, and she sees his face. Short messy black hair falls into his tanned face, framing eyes the colour of a summer storm. He sheathed his sword at the hip and knelt down towards her. She flinched, putting more distance between herself and the stranger. He smiles reassuringly. "I'm not going to hurt you. I'm Kaien Shiba. What's your name?" He had probably just saved her life. Hisana glanced at him and looked downwards, avoiding his eyes. "…Hisana." It was almost a whisper.

Without any warning, he places a hand on top of her head and yanks her head upwards, none too gently. She turns even paler, eyes widening. Were all soul reapers like this? "I expect you to say, 'Hello Kaien sir, at your service sir, my name is Hisana!' Understand?" He let go of her head.

"…yes…..Kaien sir." Hisana tried to stifle her laugh, covering it with a cough. He nodded, looking satisfied. "Let me see your foot, it looks bad." Something about him made her want to trust him… but she couldn't trust anyone. And he was a soul reaper. She carefully extended her leg and flexed her bare foot, feeling a stab of pain. Worry flashed on his face. He brought out a roll of bandages and a cloth from his kimono. Kaien wipes most of the dust and blood off with the cloth. Hisana watches, wondering why he was being so gentle. He winds the bandage around her foot and ties it.

"There. It could have gotten infected." He looks at her with his blue-grey eyes. She says nothing.

"Listen, Hisana. Become a soul reaper. "


	3. Chapter 3

**yay, chapter 3! Another short chapter... Nothing else to report, except tell me if Kaien is OOC... in chapters 2 and 3. Oh, and I don't own Bleach, because if I did... Bye Bye, Ichigo!**

She doesn't know what to say. But he looks so serious. "umm… I can't. I need to take care of someone." She wasn't sure why she was telling him this, and yet she wanted to believe he truly wanted to help her. He stood up and attempted to dust off his clothing. "It's not that simple. If you stay here, more monsters will come after you, endangering everyone near you. You need to learn how to control your power. " The way she just looked at him like that, her bright violet-blue eyes looking so innocent. And yet he knew she wasn't.

Hisana didn't understand why he could stand there in his clean uniform, expecting his orders to be obeyed. He lived in that perfect little white world, "Sereitei" while the people who lived outside those tall walls endured hardship and poverty everyday. And now he was telling her she had "power."

"You can trust me. If I really didn't care, I would have left you to be devoured."

Almost as if he had read her mind.

He reached into his black uniform and brought out a small box. There were riceballs. He gave them to her as the sky darkened and the moon came out.

**.**

Hisana made the long trip back to the house where she had left Rukia. She hardly felt tired, though. She was just given a chance to leave this terrible, terrible, place. She walked to the doors and quietly slid them open. She never saw anything- a cold hand clamped over her mouth, and a harsh, sinister voice whispered, breathy in her ear- "_Don't you dare try anything funny. Or we won't spare even a finger from that baby for you to bury."_

She couldn't breathe… and he was too strong for her. She squirmed and fought, biting his hand even- but he didn't move. Another man emerged from the darkness, clutching Rukia in his large hands. It was the vendor. He took out a shiny knife and held it menacingly close to Rukia. Too close. Hisana struggled with all her might-and cursed her weakness. "Now, now. All we want is for you to come quietly. I think-" She didn't wait to find out what he thought. With the last bit of her strength, she made a desperate bid for freedom, wrenching the hand off her mouth, twisting around and kneeing the man in the stomach. He cried out in pain, and Hisana raced towards the vendor. She was a little too late, though. The knife grazed Rukia's cheek before she tried to take it. However, he was surprisingly strong, and let her have the knife but not Rukia. The vendor, eyes wild with madness, screamed, "SHE'S JUST A BABY! YOU CAN'T TAKE CARE OF HER!" Hisana, not pausing, grabbed the bundle of blankets that was Rukia and slammed the door open, running as fast as she could.

She stumbled a few times, but managed not to fall by the light of the moon. The vendor's words echoed in her mind. She kept running, crashing through the 78th District. She knew that those men were just as scared as her. But if she knew that all they wanted were the 3 rice balls, to feed a special child at home… she would have given up her share gladly, only asking for one for Rukia. Hisana feels the tears come, and this time she doesn't wipe them away, but lets them fall down her cheeks, painting clean stripes on her dust covered face.


	4. Chapter 4

**I am so sorry that I didn't update in a while... but this chapter is looong! (yay) I'm also sad that I have to say this story is ending soon :( one or maybe two more chapters left. Thank you to everyone who reviewed and kept reviewing! I love you all! **

The sun rose, shining. It was going to be a beautiful spring day. The cherry blossoms would almost be in full bloom. Too beautiful for the thing she was about to do. She had thought about it all night, barely getting any sleep at all. Rukia had slept soundly , never waking up until now. Hisana picked her up and cradled her in her arms, whispering for her to go back to sleep. She walked around, telling her that it was _necessary_, that if she didn't do it they both would die. _You're abandoning her… What kind of person would do that? _A person like her, who couldn't even protect one small child. But Rukia would have a much better chance of surviving this place than her. She was strong enough for that. And maybe, they would meet again, when Hisana wasn't so weak anymore.

She sets Rukia down on the ground, careful not to wake her, against a small wooden house in the better part of the district. Hisana closes her eyes, her heart breaking-but there isn't any other way. And so she whispers a final _goodbye_

And runs away like the coward she is.

**..x**

The walls surrounding the Sereitei are even more intimidating up close. The gatekeeper is so huge it's terrifying. But he smiles down at her, suggesting a friendly nature. "Here to join the academy?"

"Yes, my name is Hisana." She tries to smile at him, but inside she's still crying. He nods and opens the enormous gate, muscles bulging, straining under the weight. Once inside, she tries to take in everything. It's just as she imagined it- perfect, with no dust anywhere and the sound of children laughing, clean, sturdy pathways. A huge cliff and tall white towers dominate the horizon. She walks, slowly, gazing around. A couple of children point her in the direction of the Soul Reaper Academy. It's not long before she sees it, a large white building with multiple stories. She's almost tempted to turn back to Rukongai-she doesn't fit in this place, with her faded yukata and dirty face. But she must do this, for Rukia.

Hisana enters into the open courtyard hesitantly, the clang of wooden swords echoing in her ears. A tall female Soul Reaper with fiery red hair greets her, smiling widely and asking for her name. "The entrance exam is starting over there." She points toward a huddle of girls and boys mostly around her age. She finds the kindness of these people unnerving. One boy looks up at her.

He tries hard not to stare at her. She's obviously from Rukongai, and yet she looks so fragile, liable to break at any moment, and walks with the grace of a noble. He catches her eye, and smiles at her. She doesn't smile back. "Hey, I'm Kazuki Akio." He brushes a lock of chestnut brown hair out of his face and leans back against the wall casually. She looks at him sadly. "It's nice to meet you. My name is Hisana. "

One of the girls, bursting with confidence, tossing her perfect hair, comes up and says very haughtily, "are you of noble descent? No, of course not. You are street trash and need to know your place." She pulls Kazuki away, glaring at Hisana.

This apparently has no effect on Hisana, who resumes staring off into space.

Another older girl hesitantly waves her hand in front of her, saying, "Um… I'm Miyako. Don't listen to Ayame. She's way over her head. I'm from the 46th district. What about you?"

Hisana smiled at her, and Miyako saw the sadness in her eyes briefly before she looked away. Miyako had simple and scruffy clothing on and her black hair was tied up. "I'm from the…78th district."

"…oh. Well, I'm really nervous about the exam because I sort of, um, failed it last time…."

Hisana nodded with sympathy and said, "So…. What exactly do they test you on?"

Miyako looked around quickly; making sure no one was listening in. "They just make sure you have some spiritual energy first, and then they just ask you some weird questions. I really don't know how I failed last time." They waited while two boys joined them, one guffawed loudly before falling silent when the other boy cast him a withering look. The red haired soul reaper walked back over, calling, "It's time! Open the gates!"

The gates swung open, with no creaking whatsoever. Miyako gave her the thumbs up and pushed her forward. It was all very formal, students wearing red and blue uniforms walking down the hallways, a whispered comment here and there. "Oh great, more commoners from Rukon."

"Hey Ayame! You're going to pass for sure!

"Oh my god! Hiroki! Don't worry; you're only from District 3!"

The soul reaper led them into a long corridor, and stopped so abruptly Hisana almost ran into Kazuki. "Now, we are going to be calling you two at a time. Hanabi, Kumiko, you may enter." She held open a black door and two girls with their hair tied up in ribbons walked forwards, exchanging frightened looks. The door swung shut with an ominous feel in the air. Hisana was too anxious to talk to Miyako, who was fidgeting and glancing repeatedly at the door. There was another girl with Ayame who was whispering rather loudly, another noble by the looks of it. She had wide chocolate brown eyes that seemed too big for her face. "Oh, Ayame! Did you see Byakuya Kuchiki? He is so hot. He's going to be the head of the Kuchiki family someday!"

Ayame giggled, which was a sickening sound. "Kana-chan, please. He's never going to notice you! I keep telling you to get your head out of the clouds. You're supposed to marry Kazuki, my brother." Kana-chan stuck her tongue out at her and turned away. Ayame noticed Hisana looking at her and snapped, "What do you want? I mean, I know my looks are ravishing. Stop staring." She turned her head away.

"Ayame! Hisana! It's your turn." Ayame looked mortified and immediately held her long silk sleeve upwards, covering her face. They walked forwards, her confidently, Hisana hesitantly. The last thing she saw before the door closed behind them was Miyako's horrified expression beside Kana-chan's gleeful one.

Kaien was sitting in a chair beside a silvery haired boy. The moment she set eyes on the boy, shivers ran down her back. It wasn't that he looked menacing, no, it was quite the opposite. He looked like….A fox that had just swallowed three rabbits and wanted more. But he was just a boy, maybe even younger than Hisana. Kaien smiled big when he saw her, and said, "OK, we're just going to ask you both some questions separately. I'll take-"

"Pardon my interruption, "said the boy, smiling hideously. "But I think I will take the lovely young lady from Rukongai. Ya don't mind, do ya?" Kaien shook his head and shifted uncomfortably. "Akio-san, please come with me." Ayame shot Hisana a smug look before prancing away. "Now then… why don't ya start by telling me where you're from?" His voice was frightening, heavily dripping with honey but with an underlying hint of rottenness underneath. "…I'm from the 78th district." He smiled even wider, and paused to scribble it down on a clipboard. "Well Hisana, please tell me why you want to be a soul reaper." She stared at him, confused. His expression revealed nothing. Hisana swallowed, her heart beating quickly. "Why don't you tell me your name first?" His smile didn't waver. "Of course, dear girl. I am Gin Ichimaru. Now answer my question." She had decided, she came here to start over- she couldn't be dishonest anymore. "I don't want to. I need to. I can't go back to Rukongai, and this is the only way to live in Sereitei. Maybe I'm being selfish….. I just can't go back." It was clearly not the answer he was used to hearing. He still gave nothing away. "Very well. Please show me you have spiritual energy." This was the part Hisana had been dreading. "Look deep inside yourself. Find that energy and channel it out," he stated, still smiling. She closed her eyes. This was for Rukia. There was no way she would accept failure, she had already done nothing in her worthless life but hurt people. There it was. A bright light deep inside of herself. She held out her hand, and felt something burning in the very centre of her palm. She opened her eyes slowly- fearing the worst- there was a shining sphere of blue light.

Gin Ichimaru clapped his hands in delight, squealing like a toddler. "Yay! Hisana-chan made pretty lights!" He grinned. "That wasn't so hard, right? One more question and you're free! How do ya think ya could possibly pass this test when there are so many people of nobility? There are only five spots- and eight people. The nobles get first dibs, so only two spots left. What makes ya special? How can ya convince ME to pass ya? I don't care about your poor life in Rukongai." This was obviously not what he was supposed to ask, but Gin Ichimaru could get away with these things, having graduated from the academy in one year. She looked downwards, suddenly angry. "I'm not special! I've always been powerless, not able to do… a single thing! I want to change so many things, and I'm well aware of the dangers of becoming a soul reaper. You don't have to say to me, life's unfair. Because I know that better than anybody."

**..x**

Later that day, Hisana felt certain she had failed- she wasn't exactly what you'd call, cool, calm, and collected. Everyone from Rukongai had been given a place to stay in Sereitei, and lunch and dinner. The results of the exam would be announced tomorrow morning. They had warned everyone very clearly, that if they were not there to claim their spot, it would be given to someone else. Kazuki had tried to talk to her, but was pulled away once again by Ayame, her dislike for Hisana deepening. "She certainly won't make it in. And can you believe her nerve! She talked and _smiled _at Kazuki! Disgusting, right, Kana?" They both shot Hisana dirty looks and continued whispering, right in front of her. Miyako glanced at her friend sympathetically. She knew that Hisana was more worried about the results of the exam than a certain over-confident blonde girl. Suddenly, Ayame and Kana both stopped in their tracks and moved hurriedly the side. Miyako was pulled over by Kumiko. Everyone was against the walls. Hisana was too lost in her own thoughts to notice anything despite Miyako's frantic gestures. She continued walking towards the exit until someone walked closer beside her. He had an almost icy aura. Ayame smiled at him sweetly, pushing Kana aside roughly. Hisana froze, and turned around. She saw a glimpse long dark hair and impossibly perfect features before he swept past her.

The only thing she could think about now were those steely grey eyes.

**Byakuya: OK, when do I actually MEET HER!**

**Me: Never! No, you will. Stay tuned for the next chapter!**

**Byakuya: (rolls eyes disgustedly)**

**Hisana: ...**


	5. Chapter 5

The scalding tea burned her tongue and blistered her throat. Her thoughts strayed to Rukia, and she gripped the tea cup ever tighter, her knuckles turning so white that it made the pale yellow cup seem intense by comparison. "There's nothing to worry about! You'll make it in for sure. Maybe you should have gone to that drinking party…" Hisana couldn't help smiling. A bright haired girl with even brighter eyes and a ridiculous pink scarf had nearly attacked them in the courtyard, shouting invites to a sake party which apparently would "be a perfect way to relax."

Her smile didn't last long.

"Um… Hisana- I can call you that right? I know it's probably not my business… but I want to know… why are you so sad?" Hisana looked at Miyako, and her concern seemed genuine. There was no reason not to trust her- she had shown nothing but kindness. "I'm looking for my sister." And before she could stop herself, she told Miyako everything- well, almost everything. _We were, perhaps still are… humans. We can lose everything, but we cannot lose hope. Live, and become strong. _An old woman, stooped over with age, smiles at nothing in particular. Rukongai is another word for suffering, sickness, violence- and yet there is that _Sereitei, _that shining, white, _hope, _the light at the end of every tunnel. Her heart is full of darkness, and she knows it.

Miyako frowns, her eyes reflecting immense pity. "I'm sorry. I didn't know….." Her voice trailed away. Hisana regrets it now. Another person who knows what a terrible person she is, another person who _pities _her.

The day passes in a blur, a blur of images and words that jumble in her head. Miyako smiles, Ayame giggles, Hiroki sighs, and Kazuki looks at her. Rukia could have been dead.

It was unusually cold the next morning, with a damp feel in the air. The sky was a clear, brilliant blue. "I'm going to work hard so that I can get a spot in the 6th divison…" Kana huddled close to Ayame, her breath fogging up in the air. "Ugh, the weather's horrible. Makes my hair too brittle."

There was a long white poster tacked to the walls. People were jostling, craning their necks to see if their name was written in black ink. Others high-fived each other, while some slunk away, their expressions dark. Miyako squealed happily. "Hisana! We both made it in! What did I tell you!" Ayame grimaced and drew nearer to Kazuki and Kana. Hiroki looked stricken while Kumiko burst into tears. "Quiet, Everyone!" The same redhead soul reaper shouted. The noise quickly died down. "Those of you whose names are not written on the paper, please leave. You may try again in the subsequent year." There was much grumbling and muttering as about one half of the people left. "Now," she said. Hisana could feel the atmosphere growing tense, people glanced around excitedly. "Congratulations. You have made it to the second part of the entrance exam." They sighed, while some rolled their eyes. "The second part will be a written part. You will be separated into groups." The soul reaper began counting. Hisana looked around… where was Miyako! Ayame had also disappeared. Suddenly, someone grabbed her roughly, and she felt sharp nails digging into her arm. "Don't you dare make a sound." The superior tone, the dainty trills. It was Ayame. She let herself be dragged away and into a small corridor. "Listen, you street rat." Said Ayame. "I'm not helping you. I just don't think you deserve to be here. So I'll let you in on a little secret. My father took me to Rukongai yesterday to help me train. The 78th district has murderers, so he forced me to track them down and save the commoners. Useless and disgusting, I thought. But I did save a lot of people. One which was a baby. Imagine that! And the baby had eyes just like yours. You don't belong here. Go back to that filthy hole and if we're both lucky, we'll never see each other again. " Hisana stood there while Ayame flounced back. Of course she was lying. _But what if she wasn't? _She couldn't possibly know about Rukia. What if Rukia really was there? She had to find her and never abandon her again. She wrestled with her thoughts, and only stopped when she felt a light touch on her arm. "Hisana." It was Kazuki. "Miyako told my sister. I was there. If you disappear, they'll give your spot to someone else. Miyako wants Kumiko to get in. " Hisana's eyes widened as the realization crashed down upon her. _Never trust anyone. In the end, they'll always betray you._

She was foolish to actually believe that there was hope. She couldn't become a soul reaper. There were other people, worthier people. Miyako's smiling face flashed in her mind. IT had all been fake. All. Of. It. Hisana is weak. she's selfish. She'll run away from her problems, again. She's been shattered, all over again.

The dust chokes her even more now. She has new clothes- the soul reapers were kind enough for that. Nothing has changed. The people scream, but no one hears them. And now they are curled up in the dust, sobbing, moaning, vomiting blood. Faces are dirty and houses are mere shacks. So different from the clean, white, perfect Seireitei. A child grasps her yukata, his pale face pinched and hands trembling. So different.

She asks around, but no one has seen a child with startling violet eyes like her own. She feels nothing now.

"Hisana!"

She turns around. It's Kazuki, dressed in vivid robes of indigo that stand out so much amongst the plain, dust covered surroundings. And then there's red. Scarlet. It sprays the ground, and then the screaming. A toothless grin and long brown hair. She never knew brown could be so pretty, against the dust, and the terror, and most of all, the _despair._


	6. Chapter 6

**Hiya! This is the last chapter :( **

**I wanted to finish this fanfic because it will probably be a long time before inspiration strikes me and I write again **

**I apologize if it sounds rushed, but I did my best! Sooo a million sunshine cupcakes and thank yous to:**

**_Aquarose band leader (SEA SALT ICECREAM), Makiko-maki-maki (thank you so much for reviewing every single chapter!), RukiaGallega (You really helped me and you reviewed so much!), Shadow Pain (Yay your review made me really happy), Smile-san (Your reviews inspired me to write!), Luka Song (Haha should I really be thanking you? No but really your review helped me so much... GODDESS OF FLASH hahahah), AdilaRain (very first review, thank you!)_**

**_UPDATE: I forgot someone! I AM SO SORRY! Gome, gome! auroraxisabella , thank you! You really encouraged me to keep on writing!_**

**TA! until next time... *creepy music***

She takes a few careful steps towards the body lying in the dirt. A man, his face pockmarked and gaunt, the cheek bones sharp and angular. "I can take that clothing now," he mutters. "He's a noble. Maybe I should hold him for ransom…" Hisana can barely comprehend the situation, and yet, _Kazuki's _there, face down in the dust, the blood pooling around him. Nothing has changed. In fact, it's gotten worse.

She wishes she could do something…. But wouldn't it be better to leave now, while she still can? He will be left there, to rot and to know his own ignorance. Far away in the distance, she hears faint shouting. They will come, they will take him away, and they will leave their filth and dirtiness in Rukongai and go back to that safe, sheltered, bubble of a world.

Nothing has changed, and nothing ever will.

She'll never go back there. Perhaps Ayame was right after all. She doesn't belong. She's lost everything, _her future, her past, her sister….._

_Run, run now. Save your wretched life and run. The man who dared even touch a noble will die, and in the end, it will probably be for the better. He will be freed from his suffering. _

That little voice returns, as it always does. She turns away, the soft golden light of the evening illuminating everything beautifully. "Hey, you!"

"What happened! Did you do this!"

The man is cornered against a wall, two hulking, massive shadows blocking his sunlight.

"What should we do with him, Kuchiki-sama?"

"Yes, what should we do?

Their voices almost sound mocking.

"…Kill him. We can't have him endangering other people."

That voice is unmistakable. The voice of a noble. _Kuchiki._ She's heard that name before. Hisana bites her lip, but something roots her to the spot. It might have been fear; it might have been something else. She stands still, her face turned away. A _hiss_ as a sword is pulled out of its sheath. _Oh, it's just another commoner. As significant as a grain of sand in the desert. _

"Please allow me, Kuchiki-sama. Why don't you head back to Sereitei? This filth is damaging."

Footsteps, and then silence. "I can't believe that kid is going to be the head of the Kuchiki family."

"Ha ha. He'll ruin us all with that temper of his…."

"**YOU!"**

Sharp nails dig into her shoulder, forcing her to turn around as a familiar blonde head comes into view. "You bitch! What did you do to him!" Hisana is momentarily speechless while Ayame glares at her with flinty eyes dark with absolute hatred.

"I asked you a question! WHAT DID YOU DO!"

"Akio-sama, there is no reason to harm the commoners."

"He's my brother! What the hell did she do the him!"

"Calm down, Akio-sama, please."

"I will not-"

She was dragged away by the soul reaper, her screams muffled. The other soul reaper slung Kazuki across his shoulders like a sack of potatoes, and with a _swish_ they disappeared in the wind, leaving the trembling man alone.

Kazuki's blood mingles with the blood on the ground. There are still wails, moans of despair. Fresh blood stains the ground. Hisana almost wishes that Ayame would scream at her, would tell her what a filthy, tainted, evil, selfish, ugly, lying, thief she was. Because she needed to hear the truth.

There was no chance of Rukia surviving now. She was such a fool. This time there truly was nothing left, not even hope.

Hisana walked, her eyes dull with suffering, not even seeing where she was going. There was nothing left. _Nothing. Someone, end my suffering. Please._ The heart was a stupid thing.

The sky is grey, and the rain begins to fall. It's like the world itself is crying. The children cry out eagerly and rush forwards, clutching small clay pots in their hands. The rain falls harder, and the people, their eyes as empty as always, struggle to find shelter from the pounding wet. The ground becomes muddy and wet, adding to the filth. Hisana stays out in the open, letting herself be soaked to the skin, shivering. _It's cold._

And then the rain stops. Or….

She can still hear the pitter patter of raindrops.

She opens her eyes. Someone is holding an umbrella over her head, protecting her. The fabric white, with small cherry blossoms on it. She turns her head…. and violet finds grey. Their eyes lock... and the world falls away. _There's always hope, _the voice whispers silently

_Always._


End file.
